Automatic Adaptation of Fundamental Channel Reserved Power Threshold

1. A method for servicing data communications in a cell/sector of a digital cellular wireless system, the method comprising: allocating data user forward link transmit power within the cell/sector, wherein the data user forward link transmit power is a total forward link transmit power that may be allocated to data users within the cell/sector; setting a data user Fundamental Channel (FCH) forward link transmit power reserve level upper limit that is a maximum portion of the data user forward link transmit power that may be reserved for allocation to data users on FCHs within the cell/sector; setting a data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level to a value that is less than or equal to the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level upper limit; allocating FCHs to the data users within the cell/sector upon request; deallocating the FCHs to the data users within the cell/sector; allocating Supplemental Channels (SCHs) to the data users within the cell/sector upon request, wherein the SCHs are allocated so that the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level is maintained; deallocating the SCHs to the data users within the cell/sector; based upon at least one current data user operating condition in the cell/sector, adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level; and preventing the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level from exceeding the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level upper limit.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: setting a data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level lower limit that is a minimum portion of the data user forward link transmit power that may be reserved for the FCH allocation to the data users within the cell/sector; and preventing the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level from being less than the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level lower limit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein based upon at least one current data user operating condition in the cell/sector, adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level comprises: when a data call is admitted successfully, decreasing the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level by a first step size; and when a data call is blocked, increasing the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level by a second step size.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first step size is proportional to a desired probability of data call blocking, and the second step size is selected to limit the maximum rate at which the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level can increase.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein based upon at least one current operating condition in the cell/sector, adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level is performed to meet a desired blocking probability.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein based upon at least one current operating condition in the cell/sector, adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level comprises adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level to a level that exceeds a current usage level of data user FCH forward link transmit power by a configurable multiplicative constant.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising supporting one or more versions of the 1xRTT communication standard and other wireless communication standards (e.g., 1xEV-DV, UMTS, etc.).

8. A base station that wirelessly services a plurality of voice users and a plurality of data users within a cell/sector of a digital cellular wireless system, the base station comprising: an antenna; a Radio Frequency unit coupled to the antenna; and at least one digital processor coupled to the Radio Frequency unit that executes software instructions causing the base station to: allocate data user forward link transmit power within the cell/sector, wherein the data user forward link transmit power is a total forward link power that may be allocated to data users within the cell/sector; set a data user Fundamental Channel (FCH) forward link transmit power reserve level upper limit that is a maximum portion of the data user forward link transmit power that may be reserved for allocation to data users on FCHs within the cell/sector; set a data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level to a value that is less than or equal to the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level upper limit; allocate FCHs to the data users within the cell/sector upon request; deallocate the FCHs to the users within the cell/sector; allocate Supplemental Channels (SCHs) to data users within the cell/sector upon request, wherein the SCHs are allocated so that the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level is maintained; deallocate the SCHs to the data users the within the cell/sector; adjust the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level based upon at least one current data user operating condition in the cell/sector; and prevent the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level from exceeding the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level upper limit.

9. The base station of claim 8 , wherein the base station further operates to: set a data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level lower limit that is a minimum portion of the data user forward link transmit power that may be reserved for the FCH allocation to the data users within the cell/sector; and prevent the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level from being less than the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level lower limit.

10. The base station of claim 8 , wherein in adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level based upon at least one current operating condition in the cell/sector, the base station operates to: decrease the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level by a first step size when a data call is admitted successfully; and increase the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level by a second step size when a data call is blocked.

11. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the first step size is proportional to a desired probability of data call blocking, and the second step size is selected to limit the maximum rate at which the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level can increase.

12. The base station of claim 8 , wherein in adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level based upon at least one current operating condition in the cell/sector, the base station operates to meet a desired blocking probability.

13. The base station of claim 8 , wherein in adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level based upon at least one current operating condition in the cell/sector, the base station operates to adjust the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level to a level that exceeds a current usage level of data user FCH forward link transmit power by a configurable multiplicative constant.

14. The base station of claim 8 , wherein the base station supports one or more versions of the 1xRTT communication standard.

15. A base station comprising: means for allocating data user forward link transmit power within a cell/sector, wherein the data user forward link transmit power is a total forward link power that may be allocated to data users within the cell/sector; means for setting a data user Fundamental Channel (FCH) forward link transmit power reserve level upper limit that is a maximum portion of the data user forward link transmit power that may be reserved for FCH allocation to the data users within the cell/sector; means for setting a data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level to a value that is less than or equal to the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level upper limit; means for allocating FCHs to the data users within the cell/sector upon request; means for deallocating the FCHs to the data users within the cell/sector; means for allocating Supplemental Channels (SCHs) to data users within the cell/sector upon request, wherein the SCHs are allocated so that the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level is maintained; means for deallocating the SCHs to the data users within the cell/sector; means for adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level based upon at least one current data user operating condition in the cell/sector; and means for preventing the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level from exceeding the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level upper limit.

16. The base station of claim 15 , further comprising: means for setting a data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level lower limit that is a minimum portion of the data user forward link transmit power that may be reserved for FCH allocation to the data users within the cell/sector; and means for preventing the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level from being less than the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level lower limit.

17. The base station of claim 15 , wherein the means for adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level based upon at least one current data user operating condition in the cell/sector comprise: means for decreasing the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level by a first step size when a data call is admitted successfully; and means for increasing the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level by a second step size when a data call is blocked.

18. The base station of claim 17 , wherein the first step size is proportional to a desired probability of data call blocking, and the second step size is selected to limit the maximum rate at which the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level can increase.

19. The base station of claim 15 , wherein the means for adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level based upon at least one current data user operating condition in the cell/sector operate to meet a desired blocking probability.

20. The base station of claim 15 , wherein the means for adjusting the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level based upon at least one current data user operating condition in the cell/sector adjust the data user FCH forward link transmit power reserve level to a level that exceeds a current usage level of data user FCH forward link transmit power by a configurable multiplicative constant.